Churchill joined the Liberal Party 1904 and as part of a Liberal government laid the foundations of the welfare state by establishing a minimum wage and labour exchanges. But many believe that he was naturally a conservative.

Churchill was born into the heart of the British aristocracy and felt his destiny was to lead others. He was also an ardent monarchist and believed that Empire was the key to Britain’s greatness. His views sometimes left him politically isolated.

After the First World War, Churchill advocated a new war on Bolshevism, increasing the perception of him as war-hungry.

During the abdication crisis in 1936, Churchill supported King Edward VIII in Parliament, believing that abdication would prove damaging to the monarchy. He was out of step with Parliament and with the country.

In the early 1930s, Churchill did lasting damage to his own political position by opposing Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin’s move to grant India limited autonomy. The Empire, he felt, should be preserved at all costs.

See the global influence on Churchill's personal, political and military lives.